1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to vehicle cargo area accessories, and more particularly, to a protective mat assembly which protects a person""s clothing as well as the interior of the vehicle cargo area when carrying, loading and unloading cargo.
2. Background and Summary of the Invention
The popularity of xe2x80x9cmulti-purposexe2x80x9d vehicles such as sport utility vehicles (SUVs), minivans, station wagons and crossover versions of these vehicles is due at least in part to the ability of these vehicles to carry various types of cargo in addition to passengers, oftentimes utilizing the same interior space in different ways. Access to the cargo areas of these vehicles is generally provided through any one of a number of different types of vehicle closure panels including sliding side doors, liftgates and double doors. Because these vehicles tend to be relatively large in size, accessing the cargo storage area can sometimes require reaching into the cargo space from outside the vehicle. This can result in contact between a person or his/her clothing and an exterior surface of the vehicle, such as a bumper or sill, which might be wet or dirty.
The present invention provides a unique protective mat assembly for not only preventing such undesirable contact between a person and an exterior surface of the vehicle when loading cargo, but also provides a convenient means for protecting the interior cargo space when carrying dirty objects. It further functions to help prevent smaller items from sliding around when set in a large flat cargo space.
To accomplish this, a folding mat is designed to be conveniently stowed in and deployed from its own storage compartment which is housed in the vehicle""s cargo area. The mat can be easily moved between three positions, depending upon the intended use of the vehicle cargo area. In a fully stowed position, the mat is housed substantially within the storage compartment and is out of the way, enabling use of the vehicle cargo area by passengers or to carry relatively clean and large items such as luggage. In a first operative position, the mat is deployed from its storage compartment and extends out through a vehicle opening, draping over the opening as well as adjacent exterior surfaces of the vehicle such as a bumper or sill. In this position, the mat protects people and clothing from contact with exterior vehicle surfaces when leaning or inadvertently brushing against theses surfaces to access the cargo area. In a second operative position, the mat is deployed from its storage compartment but extends entirely within the vehicle to cover an area of the cargo load floor surface to prevent soiling or to better secure smaller objects.